EURORSCG_Golf_Chemise UK:qxd 11/06/08 20:43 Page 1

MOROCCO, KINGDOM OF GOLF

PRESS KIT

Moroccan National Tourist Office

www.visitmorocco.com EURORSCG_Golf_Chemise UK:qxd 11/06/08 20:43 Page 2

CONTENTS

MOROCCO, KINGDOM OF GOLF

FOUR WAYS TO ENJOY GOLF IN MOROCCO

GOLF UNDER THE MOROCCAN SUN • : Golf meets the Sea • Off-course entertainment • List of golf courses

GOLF AT THE GATES OF THE ATLAS MOUNTAINS • , Morocco’s golfing • Off-course entertainment • List of golf courses

GOLF IN THE HEART OF MOROCCAN CULTURE • Luxury hotels with golf courses • The Hassan II Trophy • Off-course entertainment • List of golf courses

GOLF BESIDE THE MEDITERRANEAN • Golf at the cross-roads of civilizations • Off-course entertainment

Existing golfs • List of golf courses

GOLF IN MOROCCO, A CONSTANTLY EVOLVING PRODUCT Golfs in construction MOROCCO, KINGDOM OF GOLF

Golf and the Kingdom of Morocco have always temperatures all year round, here are courses enjoyed a warm friendship. In 1917 the first greens designed by the greatest international architects. appeared in , dreamed up by the famous Players of today and tomorrow will appreciate the British course designers Cotton & Pennink. great diversity of courses available for players of all levels, the variety of landscapes, and the very Since then, golf in Morocco has continued to develop reasonable charges for caddies and green fees! until it is now a real national sport. And as such, the world famous Leadbetter Golf Academy settled in With all these advantages, it is not surprising that Marrakesh, making the city become the first golf Morocco has serious plans to boost its golfing facilities destination in Morocco. between now and 2010, overseen and promoted by the Moroccan National Tourist Office. The market for Today, there are 17 golf courses located all over Golf is growing 2.5 times faster than the overall tourist Morocco and golf fans will soon be able to test the market, and Morocco’s projects are scaled to respond greens of some forty courses from North to South to this powerful expansion in demand. across the country. That is why the Kingdom’s golfing The golfing experience in Morocco facilities will more than double in varies with the location, in the the next few years. Twenty new sunshine of the Atlantic coast, courses are under construction for beside the Mediterranean, in the 2010, creating new tourist cultural cradle of Morocco’s ancient destinations on the Mediterranean imperial or at the foot of the with the new Saïdia resort, and on Atlas Mountains. the Atlantic coast with plans for six new courses in the Agadir region. And Four different ways to experience golf in with the increase in the number of golf Morocco courses comes a substantial development in hotel capacity throughout the country, mostly from the Scratch players and beginners alike will find much to construction of 4/5 star hotels and numerous enjoy and challenges to learn from in the Kingdom facilities for well-being and enjoyment all along the of Golf. sublime Moroccan coastline. Naturally Morocco’s golfing hospitality is surrounded by general tourism facilities. Golf in Morocco is an experience that you should live in all four destinations below, each Hotel capacity continues to grow, together with with its own individual characteristics, each an expanding offer of other facilities linked to with something special to offer: well-being, including spas and thalassotherapy. EXPERIENCE MOROCCO’S SUNSHINE Morocco’s open skies policy means more flights and connections from and to major tourist destinations. EXPERIENCE MOROCCO’S CULTURE Lovers of golfing week-ends will find that Morocco EXPERIENCE MOROCCO’S is just waiting to welcome them. MEDITERRANEAN COAST Furthermore, less than three hours from the major EXPERIENCE MOROCCO’S european capitals, with a luminous sky and pleasant ATLAS MOUNTAINS GOLF FACILITIES IN MOROCCO A CONSTANTLY EVOLVING PRODUCT

MORE THAN FORTY GOLF BY 2010

In the Moroccan Tourism Ministry’s 2010 Vision, the aim is to attract 10 million visitors by 2010, and GOLF is a product written there in capital letters.

The Blue Plan (), whose aim is to develop Morocco’s seaside resort facilities, involves building 6 resorts along the Mediterranean and Atlantic coasts, including the development of a series of new golfing destinations to appeal to the many golf addicts who visit the country. World golfing tourism is growing fast. For this reason, the expansion of Morocco’s golf facilities is steadily becoming an important factor in future large-scale tourist projects.

Parallel to the considerable development of the hotel and resort facilities throughout Morocco, the number of golf courses will double by 2010.

Lixus, Saïdia, Agadir, Fez, ... all destinations that will become “musts” for European golfers.

These projects will be accompanied by development of spa facilities with a number of new thalassotherapy and balneotherapy centers, ensuring that golfers can enjoy relaxation and fitness treatments after their sporting efforts.

Thus, by 2010, Morocco will have about 20 new 18 hole courses, raising the number of golf courses open to tourists to forty.

These plans will make it possible to achieve the goal of 172,500 golfing visitors a year, or two and a half times the figure for 2006.

Morocco’s Ministry of Tourism intends to link the sports aspect of golf tourism with the riches of the country’s magnificent historical heritage and its flourishing cultural dimension.

Agadir’s well-developed attractions as a coastal resort, accompanied by strong growth in its capacity to attract golf players, will no doubt make it a favorite port of call for golfing tourism.

With 6 million potential European visitors, Moroccan golf has some great days ahead of it. GOLF UNDER THE MOROCCAN SUN AGADIR

GOLF MEETS THE SEA IN THE AGADIR REGION…

At the gates of the Sahara, between mountain and ocean, with 360 days of sun a year, a temperature that’s always gentle and 10 kilometers of wonderful beaches, Agadir is the second favorite golfing destination in Morocco, after Marrakesh.

There are already three splendid courses with fairways perfumed by eucalyptus, gorse and mimosa. Soon there will be another four, as part of the golfing expansion planned for 2010. The four new courses will be located all along the bay of Agadir. The existing Royal Agadir Golf Course, the Dunes and the Soleil – a total of 72 holes – will be joined by four others, at (2 x 18 holes) and Agadir (the Beach Golf, the Ocean Golf). The first new course will open in 2008 – this will be the Ocean, with 27 holes designed by the American architect Belt Collins. COURSES DESCRIPTION Dunes Golf Club • Three 9 hole courses: for beginners as well as experienced players TAGHAZOUT • Designed by Cabell B. Robinson AGADIR • Undulating fairway with a variety of water hazards Soleil Golf Club • An 18 hole course and 2 x 9 holes, designed by Muella and Courbin • Quite technically demanding, but good for all levels • Lakes, footbridges, cascades, fairways relatively narrow, bordered with white gorse Royal Agadir Golf Club • A 9 holes bordered with pines and eucalyptus • Designed by Wilson

SOON Ocean Golf Club • Opening in December 2008 • A 27 hole course • Designed by Belt Collins Taghazout Golf Club • Two 18 hole courses • A bridge between ocean and mountains The Beach Golf Club

OFF-COURSE ENTERTAINMENT

Agadir thus aims to become a must-visit destination for golfers in Morocco, in addition to courses for every handicap, offering guests numerous tourist attractions, from cultural exploration in the fabulously romantic back country to thalassotherapy centers, and of course the celebrated Moroccan cuisine.

Parallel to its expanding number of golf courses, by 2010 the Agadir region will have considerably enlarged its hotel facilities, doubling its capacity in the 4 and 5 star segment.

Agadir aims to become one of the top international golf resorts. The start of this new adventure will be marked by the European Press Trophy, whose first edition will be played off in June 2008.

This Trophy is open exclusively to members of the Press, and this year there will be some fifty golf-mad journalists from all over Europe to get it off to a good start. GOLF AT THE GATES OF THE ATLAS MOUNTAINS MARRAKESH

AN OCHRE-TINTED CITY, A PALM GROVE, GOLF…

Marrakesh is the city of golf par excellence. Since 2006 it has housed the David Leadbetter Golf Academy, one of the best golfing academies in the world, while the Royal Marrakesh golf course, built in 1923, is the second oldest course in Morocco. Its greens have been trodden by more than one of the world’s leaders, including Churchill and Eisenhower…

Since their time, the city of Marrakesh has enlarged its facilities, and three courses of 18 holes are set around the city at the feet of the snow-covered Atlas Mountains, where you can enjoy the cool, fresh air after a sun-filled day.

La Palmeraie (the Palm Grove), designed by Robert Trent Jones, offers a unique panorama that makes it one of the world’s most beautiful international courses. The Amelkis, designed by Cabell B. Robinson, is more technically demanding and is more like an American course with broad fairways. Projects include extensions to the Palmeraie, the Amelkis and the Royal, bringing them up from 18 to 36 holes. COURSES DESCRIPTION Palmeraie Golf Club • An18 hole course (27 holes by end 2008) SAFI MARRAKESH • Designed by Robert Trent Jones - • Seven lakes MOGADOR • Demanding courses for all levels Royal Golf Club • A 27 hole course TAGHAZOUT OUARZAZATE • Splendid landscaping • Built in 1923 • Home of the Leadbetter golfing academy Amelkis Golf Club • A 27 hole course (Two 18 hole courses from October) • Designed by Cabell B. Robinson • Difficult courses • Lakes, broad fairways through a palm grove

SOON Samanah Golf Club • An 18 hole course (for end 2008) • Designed by Jack Nicklaus Group Al Maaden Golf Club • An 18 hole course (for March 2009) These magnificent courses, whose reputations are already established, will • Designed by Kyle Phillips in shortly be joined by two new 18 hole courses on the edge of town and association with landscape another mountain course close to Oukaimeden. gardener Fernando Caruncho MOGADOR (ESSAOUIRA) GOLF CLUB These projects will be completed by 2010, making Marrakesh the city with Golf Mogador the most to offer golfers, rivaling Agadir. An other 18 hole course in the • Three 18 hole courses by 2010 Oukaimeden valley and the reopening of the legendary Ouarzazate Golf club • All two courses have been will complete the offer. designed by Gary Player. • An 18 hole course will open in 2009 and a second one in 2010 Finally, the enchanting area of Essaouira-Mogador, Marrakesh’s window on the , is turning to golf with three courses of 18 holes, and will OUKAIMEDEN • An 18 hole course welcome its first players in spring 2009. • The highest golf in the world OUARZAZATE • The legendary golf will soon open again

OFF-COURSE ENTERTAINMENT

After the enjoyable – and sometimes challenging – hours passed on one of the city’s golf courses, there will still be time to appreciate some of the more cultural aspects that Marrakesh offers the visitor. From the place Djmâa el Fna, the nerve-centre of Marrakesh, named by UNESCO as part of Humanity’s Universal Heritage, via any of the gardens that decorate the city (the gardens of Menara or the Majorelle garden, to name only the best-known), you can wander through the little alleyways in the enormous souk, an ever-changing labyrinth of new discoveries. And you can’t miss the Koutoubia, one of the city’s architectural marvels, a vestige of 12th century Almohad architecture, whose minaret can be seen from every part of the city.

Golf fits in perfectly with the rich cultural life of Marrakesh, and the courses are often visited by people attending its various festivals, which include the prestigious International Film Festival, the Festival of Popular Arts and the International Festival of Magic. GOLF IN THE HEART OF MOROCCAN CULTURE , FEZ, , CASABLANCA…

GOLF COURSES AND LUXURY HOTELS…

Building on the success of the Hassan II Trophy in Rabat, golf in Morocco is now present in the heart of fabled cities enriched by centuries of history. Golfers looking for a cultural change will find sumptuous courses in Rabat, Fez, Meknes, Casablanca or , surrounded by a millennial heritage that illustrates the rich past of imperial Morocco, where today modernity sits side by side with the most remarkable works of and Islamic architecture.

The golfer’s voyage through Morocco’s magnificent history will be enhanced by the presence of nine golf courses (scheduled to double by 2010), all located around the country’s most historic cities.

The Royal Golf Club at Dar Es Salam, where the celebrated Hassan II Trophy Competition is held each year, is only fifteen minutes from the centre of Rabat. The Royal offers three unique courses of increasing difficulty, all designed by Robert Trent Jones. COURSES DESCRIPTION RABAT Royal Dar Es Salam Golf Club NTIC OCEAN FEZ • 45 holes (Two 18 hole courses and RABAT one 9 holes) MEKNES • Designed by Robert Trent Jones BENSLIMANE EL-JADIDA CASABLANCA Royal Golf Club • An 18 hole course • Designed by Cabell B. Robinson • On the Atlantic coast FEZ/MEKNES Royal Golf Club (Fez) • An 18 hole course • Cambered fairways and sloping greens • Numerous bunkers (the biggest is 1200 m²) Royal Golf Club (Meknes) • A 9 hole course • Can also play under projectors The Meknes Golf Club is an original course where golfers can play both day BENSLIMANE and night under projectors. Royal Golf Club • 27 holes ( an 18 hole course and a The 18 hole course in the city of Fez, overlooked by the awesome Atlas 9 hole one) Mountains, was designed by Cabell B. Robinson in the heart of a magnificent • Designed by David Cohen and olive grove. As part of its Regional Development Plan launched in November Robert Van Hagge 2005, Fez will have a second 18 hole course in 2009. CASABLANCA Royal Golf Club The Royal Golf Club at Anfa and the Mohammedia Golf Club provide golfers • A 9 hole course • Quite a difficult course with two double courses between Casablanca and the Atlantic coast. MOHAMMEDIA The Settat University Royal Golf Club introduces you to the joy of golfing in a Royal Golf Club • A 18 hole course very peaceful environment and the 27 holes of the Benslimane Royal Golf • A technically testing course offers you to mix between trekking and rambling. SETTAT Royal University Golf Club In addition to the already existing courses, Casablanca plans to enrich its • A 9 hole course facilities by building additional courses, including a 27 holes at nearby BOUZNIKA Bouskoura and an 18 hole course at Bouznika Bay. Bouznika Bay Golf Club • A 9 hole course El Jadida, which used to be known as Mazagan, listed as a UNESCO World • Can also play under projectors Heritage site in 2004, offers a magnificent beach at the foot of this former • A 18 hole course on construction Portuguese citadel. The Royal Golf Club here has an 18 hole course designed SOON by Cabell B. Robinson, located around four large lakes whose clean-cut outlines make for a spectacular layout. FEZ • A new golf will open along the wall of the old BOUSKOURA HASSAN II TROPHY OFF-COURSE ENTERTAINMENT AN INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION The cultural and spiritual capital of the Kingdom, the city of Fez is a living There is no doubt that Morocco has Payne Stewart, Severiano Ballesteros, record of the . In 2008 the city celebrates its 1200th achieved an international golfing Jose Maria Olazabal, Bernhard reputation, thanks in large part to Langer, Nick Faldo, Tom Lehman and anniversary... Golfers looking for another view of the world will find the soul the Hassan II Trophy at the Royal Dar Gary Player have all left their mark of Morocco in the Medina of Fez, yet another slice of Moroccan history Es Salam Golf Club at Rabat, which on this Tournament. classified as a World Heritage site by UNESCO. The neighboring city, Meknes, each year attracts top players from Founded in 1971, this world- another of the imperial trio, offers yet more images of Moroccan splendor the four corners of the world. In renowned event has outgrown its such as the Bab Mansour gate through the ramparts of this fortified city. addition to the best professional strictly sporting framework and has players of the moment, it also become a focus for cultural, On the Atlantic coast, Rabat, Casablanca, Mohammedia, Benslimane and El attracts celebrities from the worlds economic and tourist activities, a Jadida offer golfers a cultural voyage of unrivalled richness, where the of culture, sport, the arts and source of growth for both golf and architectural and cultural past of imperial Morocco magnificently adorns business. Morocco. resolutely modern cities. GOLF BESIDE THE MEDITERRANEAN TANGIER, TETOUAN, SAÏDIA

GOLF AT THE CROSS-ROADS OF CIVILIZATIONS…

Morocco is planning to dress its coastline in green for 2010. A total of 7 new golf clubs will line the Mediterranean coast, which has not so far been developed very much outside Tangier.

Parallel to the emergence of large-scale tourist resorts such as Saïdia, the facilities for golf will expand considerably, so that the Mediterranean coast of Morocco will be a regular golfing rendezvous.

The Royal Tangier Golf Club is also the oldest club in Morocco. Inaugurated in 1917, this 18 hole course designed by Cotton and Pennink has since been modernized, while still maintaining a strong British identity.

The Al Houara Golf will soon be joining this prestigious course. MEDITERRANEAN SAÏDIA SEA

OUJDA

TANGIER TETOUAN CABO NEGRO LIXUS N COURSES DESCRIPTION TANGIER Royal Golf Club • An 18 hole course • Designed by Cotton and Pennink • All levels CABO NEGRO/TETOUAN Royal Golf Club • An 18 hole course • Designed by Hawtree & Sons, revised by Cabell B. Robinson

SOON Al Houara Golf Club • An 18 holes • Designed by Vijay Singh Behind Tetouan and the summits of the Rif mountains, the Royal Cabo Negro • Opening scheduled for 2009 Golf Club offers 18 holes with a spontaneous and natural layout, designed in SAÏDIA the best British tradition by Hawtree & Sons. Undeniably these two clubs owe • Three 18 hole courses part of their popularity to the unbeatable view over the sea. The first will open in summer 2008 The others are scheduled for 2009 On the Atlantic coast south of Tangier, and along the Mediterranean coast by LIXUS 2010 there will be two golfing paradises, at Lixus and Saïdia. • Two 18 hole courses (one to open in 2010) with 4 large lakes Close to the archeological site at Lixus, this ancient Phoenician port will offer • Designed by Enrique Saenger of Golf Projects its clients two new golf courses of 18 holes in idyllic settings, as well as the leisure activities of the region. The resort and one of the two golf courses will open in 2010.

The future resort at Saïdia will also have top level golf facilities, since three new courses are under construction to the east and west of the resort. The first will be inaugurated during spring 2008, the two others in 2009.

OFF-COURSE ENTERTAINMENT

Since pre-Christian times Tangier, built at the entry to the straits of , has been a trading cross-roads for African, Arabian and European civilizations. Golf lovers will be able to appreciate the mixture of Arab, Berber and Andalusian cultures around Tetouan and Cabo Negro, and enjoy water sports along this sublime bay, or put down their clubs to explore the or the wonderful countryside.

Lixus, a resort springing into existence on the Atlantic coast 80 km south of Tangier, has been created at the foot of an archaeological site of considerable interest, close to the town of whose ancient medina is straight out of the history books.

The nearby valley of Zegzel, a site of great natural beauty, the Medina (the Old City) at Oujda, and the Figuig oasis are major attractions for visitors that will ensure the future Saïdia resort becomes a “must” for golfers and holiday- makers alike.